IRVING, Texas – Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins, a consensus All-America pick and the winner of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award as college football’s best defensive player, was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 16 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Collins becomes the 12th first-round draft pick from the American Athletic Conference in the conference’s eight-year history and the first Tulsa player to go in the first round since 1977 (OL Steve August at No. 14). The American has now had at least one first-round pick following seven of its eight seasons.